Tympanoplasty in children: A review of 91 cases

OBJECTIVES: There is a marked diversity in the reported success rates for achieving an intact tympanic membrane following tympanoplasty. Controversy exists about the factors thought to influence surgical outcome. These facts have important implications for the selection of patients who would benefit the most. This study reviews the factors thought to determine the anatomical and functional success of tympanoplasty in children. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Retrospective study of the anatomical and functional results of 91 tympanoplasties performed in children. Age, gender, size and site of perforation, status of operated and contralateral ear, underlying cause of the perforations, surgical technique, pre-operative and post-operative hearing levels, post-operative follow-up time and post-operative complications were recorded. We divided our population into two groups according to the expected eustachian tube maturity (younger group (N=24): ≤10 years old, older group (N=67): >10 years old). All patients were evaluated in terms of anatomical and functional outcome and complications. RESULTS: Anatomical success was achieved in 85.7% and functional success was 76.9% after a mean follow-up of 25.6 ± 17.1 months. Anatomical success (intact tympanic membrane) was achieved in 83% of younger vs 87% of older patients (p=n.s.). Functional (air bone gap closure) success was 75% in the younger group vs 78% in the older group (p=n.s.). There were no significant differences in post-operative gain at different frequencies (500, 1000, 2000 and 3000 Hz) between the two groups. A previous adenoidectomy in children older than 10 years seems to be an independent predictor of functional success The incidence of minor and major complications were 29% in patients aged ≤10 and 21% in those older than 10 (p=n.s.). We report 12.9% minor post-operative complications in successful cases: injury to the chorda tympani nerve (5.7%), wound infection (2.9%), otitis externa (2.9%) and transient vertigo (1.4%). Among the 21 reperforations observed, 92.3% occurred before 1 year. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that tympanoplasty is a valid treatment modality for tympanic membrane perforation in the pediatric population. A tympanic membrane perforation can be closed at any age. There is no age limit below which perforation should not be closed. A previous adenoidectomy in children older than 10 years seems to be an independent predictor of functional success

Validation of the Portuguese version of impulsive-premeditated aggression scale in an inmate population

Aggression is one of the core symptoms of antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) with therapeutic and prognostic relevance. ASPD is highly prevalent among inmates, being responsible for adverse events and elevated direct and indirect economic costs for the criminal justice system. The Impulsive/Premeditated Aggression Scale (IPAS) is a self-report instrument that characterizes aggression as either predominately impulsive or premeditated. This study aims to determine the validity and reliability of the IPAS in a sample of Portuguese inmates. A total of 240 inmates were included in the study. A principal component factor analysis was performed so as to obtain the construct validity of the IPAS impulsive aggression (IA) and premeditated aggression (PM) subscales; internal consistency was determined by Cronbach's alpha coefficient; convergent and divergent validity of the subscales were determined analyzing correlations with the Barratt Impulsiveness scale, 11th version (BIS-11), and the Psychopathic Checklist Revised (PCL-R). The rotated matrix with two factors accounted for 49.9% of total variance. IA subscale had 11 items and PM subscale had 10 items. The IA and PM subscales had a good Cronbach's alpha values of 0.89 and 0.88, respectively. The IA subscale is correlated with BIS-11 attentional, motor, and non-planning impulsiveness dimensions (p < 0.05). The PM subscale is correlated with BIS-11 attentional, motor impulsiveness dimensions (p < 0.05). The PM subscale is correlated with PCL-R interpersonal, lifestyle, and antisocial dimensions (p < 0.05). The IA subscale is not correlated with PCL-R. The Portuguese translated version of IPAS has adequate psychometric properties, allowing the measurement of impulsive and premeditated dimensions of aggression

Novel and traditional lipid profiles in Metabolic Syndrome reveal a high atherogenicity

Low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c) guides lipid-lowering therapy, although other lipid parameters could better reflect cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. Discordance between these parameters and LDL-c has not been evaluated in metabolic syndrome (MetS) patients. We characterized a comprehensive lipid profile in 177 MetS patients. The 2016 ESC/EAS Guidelines for the Management of Dyslipidemias were used to define LDL-c targets. The atherogenic lipoprotein profile was compared in patients with LDL-c within and above the target. Only 34.4% (61) of patients had mean LDL-c levels within the guidelines and patients with LDL-c above target presented significantly elevated levels of Apolipoprotein B (ApoB), non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL-c) and oxidized LDL-c. In patients with LDL-c within target, 25%, 31% and 49% presented levels above the recommended range for ApoB, non-HDL-c and oxidized LDL-c, respectively. Patients presented a strong association of LDL-c and non-HDL-c (r = 0.796), ApoB (r = 0.749) and oxidized LDL-c (r = 0.452). Similarly, non-HDL-c was strongly correlated with ApoB (r = 0.857) and oxidized-LDL-c (r = 0.555). The logistic regression model evidenced higher triglycerides and HDL-c and lower ApoB as predictors of having LDL-c within target. Reliance solely on LDL-c could result in missed opportunities for CVD risk reduction. ApoB, oxidized LDL-c, and particularly non-HDL-c, could be valuable parameters to estimate the CVD risk of MetS patients and have the potential to be targeted therapeutically

Comparison of Three Assays for Total and Free PSA Using Hybritech and WHO Calibrations

Background/Aim: Lack of interchangeability between prostate-specific antigen (PSA) assays could have a clinical impact. We compared PSA assays from different manufacturers and calibrations. Patients and Methods: A total of 233 men who underwent prostate biopsy (PSA: 2-10 ng/ml; Beckman Coulter Access® Hybritech® as reference) were enrolled. Total (tPSA) and free PSA (fPSA) were also measured using the Roche cobas® and the Abbott Architect® methods. Results: Roche tPSA values were ≈1% higher than Beckman, while Abbott values were ≈5% lower. Roche had the highest diagnostic sensitivity (92%) compared to Beckman Coulter (87%) and Abbott (85%). Roche fPSA was ≈3% lower and Abbott ≈17% higher than that of Beckman. For the percentage of fPSA, Roche had the highest sensitivity (98%). Conclusion: Roche cobas® and Beckman Coulter Access® Hybritech® tPSA were almost interchangeable. While the agreement was acceptable for tPSA, this did not happen with fPSA and greater efforts for harmonization are required

Accelerated age-related olfactory decline among type 1 Usher patients

Usher Syndrome (USH) is a rare disease with hearing loss, retinitis pigmentosa and, sometimes, vestibular dysfunction. A phenotype heterogeneity is reported. Recent evidence indicates that USH is likely to belong to an emerging class of sensory ciliopathies. Olfaction has recently been implicated in ciliopathies, but the scarce literature about olfaction in USH show conflicting results. We aim to evaluate olfactory impairment as a possible clinical manifestation of USH. Prospective clinical study that included 65 patients with USH and 65 normal age-gender-smoking-habits pair matched subjects. A cross culturally validated version of the Sniffin' Sticks olfaction test was used. Young patients with USH have significantly better olfactory scores than healthy controls. We observe that USH type 1 have a faster ageing olfactory decrease than what happens in healthy subjects, leading to significantly lower olfactory scores in older USH1 patients. Moreover, USH type 1 patients showed significantly higher olfactory scores than USH type 2, what can help distinguishing them. Olfaction represents an attractive tool for USH type classification and pre diagnostic screening due to the low cost and non-invasive nature of the testing. Olfactory dysfunction should be considered among the spectrum of clinical manifestations of Usher syndrome

Anti-inflammatory activity of Blutaparon portulacoides ethanolic extract against the inflammatory reaction induced by Bothrops jararacussu venom and isolated myotoxins BthTX-I and II

This article reports the anti-inflammatory effect of Blutaparon portulacoides (B. portulacoides), specifically the ethanolic extract of its aerial parts, on the edema formation and leukocyte influx caused by Bothrops jararacussu (B. jararacussu) snake venom and Bothropstoxin-I and II (BthTX-I and II) isolated from this venom as an alternative treatment for Bothrops snakebites. The anti-inflammatory effect of B. portulacoides ethanolic extract was compared with an animal group pretreated with dexamethasone. B. portulacoides ethanolic extract significantly inhibited paw edema induced by B. jararacussu venom and by BthTX-I and II. Also, results demonstrated that the extract caused a reduction of the leukocyte influx induced by BthTX-I. However, the extract was not capable of inhibiting the leukocyte influx induced by the venom and by BthTX-II. In conclusion, these results suggest that the ethanolic extract of this plant possess components able to inhibit or inactivate toxins present in B. jararacussu venom, including its myotoxins, responsible for the edema formation. However, the leukocyte migration caused by the venom and BthTX-II was not inhibited by the plant, probably due to the different mechanisms involved in the edema formation and leukocyte influx. This is the first report of B. portulacoides extract as anti-inflammatory against snake venoms and isolated toxins

Gastric microbial community profiling reveals a dysbiotic cancer-associated microbiota

Objective Gastric carcinoma development is triggered by Helicobacter pylori. Chronic H. pylori infection leads to reduced acid secretion, which may allow the growth of a different gastric bacterial community. This change in the microbiome may increase aggression to the gastric mucosa and contribute to malignancy. Our aim was to evaluate the composition of the gastric microbiota in chronic gastritis and in gastric carcinoma. Design The gastric microbiota was retrospectively investigated in 54 patients with gastric carcinoma and 81 patients with chronic gastritis by 16S rRNA gene profiling, using next-generation sequencing. Differences in microbial composition of the two patient groups were assessed using linear discriminant analysis effect size. Associations between the most relevant taxa and clinical diagnosis were validated by real-time quantitative PCR. Predictive functional profiling of microbial communities was obtained with PICRUSt. Results The gastric carcinoma microbiota was characterised by reduced microbial diversity, by decreased abundance of Helicobacter and by the enrichment of other bacterial genera, mostly represented by intestinal commensals. The combination of these taxa into a microbial dysbiosis index revealed that dysbiosis has excellent capacity to discriminate between gastritis and gastric carcinoma. Analysis of the functional features of the microbiota was compatible with the presence of a nitrosating microbial community in carcinoma. The major observations were confirmed in validation cohorts from different geographic origins. Conclusions Detailed analysis of the gastric microbiota revealed for the first time that patients with gastric carcinoma exhibit a dysbiotic microbial community with genotoxic potential, which is distinct from that of patients with chronic gastritis.This research was supported by a Worldwide Cancer Research grant to CF and JCM (Reference 16-1352). RMF, JPM and IPR have fellowships from Fundacao para a Ciencia e a Tecnologia (FCT; SFRH/BPD/84084/2012, PD/BD/114014/2015 and SFRH/BD/110803/2015, respectively) through Programa Operacional Capital Humano (POCH) and the European Union. JPM's fellowship is in the framework of FCT's PhD Programme BiotechHealth (Ref PD/0016/2012). i3S-Instituto de Investigacao e Inovacao em Saude is funded by Fundo Europeu de Desenvolvimento Regional (FEDER) funds through the COMPETE 2020-Operacional Programme for Competitiveness and Internationalisation (POCI), Portugal 2020, and by Portuguese funds through Fundacao para a Ciencia e a Tecnologia (FCT)/Ministerio da Ciencia, Tecnologia e Inovacao (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007274)

Comparing the cost-effectiveness of two screening strategies for latent tuberculosis infection in Portugal

Introduction and objectives: Screening for latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) in close contacts of infectious TB cases might include Tuberculin Skin Test (TST) and Interferon-Gamma Release Assays (IGRA), in combination or as single-tests. In Portugal, the screening strategy changed from TST followed by IGRA to IGRA-only testing in 2016. Our objective was to compare the cost-effectiveness of two-step TST/IGRA with the current IGRA-only screening strategy in immunocompetent individuals exposed to individuals with respiratory TB. Materials and methods: We reviewed clinical records of individuals exposed to infectious TB cases diagnosed in 2015 and 2016, in two TB outpatient centers in the district of Porto. We estimated medical, non-medical and indirect costs for each screening strategy, taking into account costs of tests and health care personnel, travel distance from place of residence to screening site and employment status. We calculated the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) as the cost difference between the two screening strategies with the difference number of LTBI diagnosis as a measure of cost-effectiveness, assuming that treating LTBI is a cost-effective intervention. We also calculated adjusted odds-ratios to test the association between diagnosis of LTBI and screening strategy and estimated the total cost for averting a potential TB case. Results: We compared 499 contacts TST/IGRA screened with 547 IGRA-only. IGRA-only strategy yielded a higher screening effectiveness for diagnosing latent tuberculosis infection (aOR 2.12, 95%CI: 1.53 - 2.94). ICER was €106 per LTBI diagnosis, representing increased effectiveness with a slightly increased cost of IGRA-only screening strategy. Conclusions: Our data suggests that in Portugal LTBI screening with IGRA-only is more cost-effective than the two-step TST/IGRA testing strategy, preventing a higher number of cases of TB cases

The Percentage of [−2]Pro–Prostate-Specific Antigen and the Prostate Health Index Outperform Prostate-Specific Antigen and the Percentage of Free Prostate-Specific Antigen in the Detection of Clinically Significant Prostate Cancer and Can Be Used as Reflex Tests

Context.—: There is a need to avoid the overdiagnosis of prostate cancer (PCa) and to find more specific biomarkers. Objective.—: To evaluate the clinical utility of [-2]pro-prostate-specific antigen ([-2]proPSA) derivatives in detecting clinically significant PCa (csPCa) and to compare it with prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and with the percentage of free PSA (%fPSA). Design.—: Two hundred thirty-seven men (PSA: 2-10 ng/mL) scheduled for a prostate biopsy were enrolled. Parametric and nonparametric tests, receiver operating characteristic curves, and logistic regression analysis were applied. Outcomes were csPCa and overall PCa. Results.—: Both [-2]proPSA derivatives were significantly higher in csPCa and overall PCa (P < .001). The areas under the curves for the prediction of csPCa were higher for the percentage of [-2]proPSA (%[-2]proPSA) (0.781) and the prostate health index (PHI) (0.814) than for PSA (0.651) and %fPSA (0.724). There was a gain of 11% in diagnostic accuracy when %[-2]proPSA or PHI were added to a base model with PSA and %fPSA. Twenty-five percent to 29% of biopsies could have been spared with %[-2]proPSA (cutoff: ≥1.25%) and PHI (cutoff: ≥27), missing 10% of csPCas. The same results could have been achieved by using [-2]proPSA as a reflex test, when %fPSA was 25% or less (cutoffs: ≥1.12% and ≥24 for %[-2]proPSA and PHI, respectively). Conclusions.—: The [-2]proPSA derivatives improve the diagnostic accuracy of csPCa when the PSA value is between 2 and 10 ng/mL, sparing unnecessary biopsies and selecting patients for active surveillance. [-2]proPSA can be used as a reflex test when %fPSA is 25% or less, without reducing the diagnostic accuracy for csPCa and the number of spared biopsies.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Does native Trypanosoma cruzi calreticulin mediate growth inhibition of a mammary tumor during infection?

Indexación: Web of Science.Background: For several decades now an antagonism between Trypanosoma cruzi infection and tumor development has been detected. The molecular basis of this phenomenon remained basically unknown until our proposal that T. cruzi Calreticulin (TcCRT), an endoplasmic reticulum-resident chaperone, translocated-externalized by the parasite, may mediate at least an important part of this effect. Thus, recombinant TcCRT (rTcCRT) has important in vivo antiangiogenic and antitumor activities. However, the relevant question whether the in vivo antitumor effect of T. cruzi infection is indeed mediated by the native chaperone (nTcCRT), remains open. Herein, by using specific modified anti-rTcCRT antibodies (Abs), we have neutralized the antitumor activity of T. cruzi infection and extracts thereof, thus identifying nTcCRT as a valid mediator of this effect. Methods: Polyclonal anti-rTcCRT F(ab')(2) Ab fragments were used to reverse the capacity of rTcCRT to inhibit EAhy926 endothelial cell (EC) proliferation, as detected by BrdU uptake. Using these F(ab')(2) fragments, we also challenged the capacity of nTcCRT, during T. cruzi infection, to inhibit the growth of an aggressive mammary adenocarcinoma cell line (TA3-MTXR) in mice. Moreover, we determined the capacity of anti-rTcCRT Abs to reverse the antitumor effect of an epimastigote extract (EE). Finally, the effects of these treatments on tumor histology were evaluated. Results: The rTcCRT capacity to inhibit ECs proliferation was reversed by anti-rTcCRT F(ab')(2) Ab fragments, thus defining them as valid probes to interfere in vivo with this important TcCRT function. Consequently, during infection, these Ab fragments also reversed the in vivo experimental mammary tumor growth. Moreover, anti-rTcCRT Abs also neutralized the antitumor effect of an EE, again identifying the chaperone protein as an important mediator of this anti mammary tumor effect. Finally, as determined by conventional histological parameters, in infected animals and in those treated with EE, less invasive tumors were observed while, as expected, treatment with F(ab')(2) Ab fragments increased malignancy. Conclusion: We have identified translocated/externalized nTcCRT as responsible for at least an important part of the anti mammary tumor effect of the chaperone observed during experimental infections with T. cruzi.http://bmccancer.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12885-016-2764-